among the princes that thought scorn of arthur in the days when first he became king, none was more insolent than ryons of north wales. so, on a time when king arthur held high festival at camelot, ryons sent a herald who, in the presence of the whole court, before brave knights and fair dames, thus addressed the king: "sir arthur, my master bids me say that he has overcome eleven kings with all their hosts, and, in token of their submission, they have given him their beards to fringe him a mantle. there remains yet space for the twelfth; wherefore, with all speed, send him your beard, else will he lay waste your land with fire and sword." "viler message," said king arthur, "was never sent from man to man. get thee gone, lest we forget thine office protects thee." so spoke the king, for he had seen his knights clap hand to sword, and would not that a messenger should suffer hurt in his court.

now among the knights present the while was one whom men called balin le savage, who had but late been freed from prison for slaying a knight of arthur's court. none was more wroth than he at the villainy of ryons, and immediately after the departure of the herald, he left the hall and armed him; for he was minded to try if, with good fortune, he might win to arthur's grace by avenging him on the king of north wales. while he was without, there entered the hall a witch lady who, on a certain occasion, had done the king a service, and for this she now desired of him a boon. so arthur bade her name her request, and thus she said: "o king, i require of you the head of the knight balin le savage." "that may i not grant you with my honour," replied the king; "ask what it may become me to give." but the witch lady would have naught else, and departed from the hall, murmuring against the king. then, as it chanced, balin met her at the door, and immediately when he saw her, he rode upon her, sword in hand, and, with one blow, smote off her head. thus he took vengeance for his mother's death, of which she had been the cause, and, well content, rode away. but when it was told king arthur of the deed that balin had done, he was full wroth, nor was his anger lessened though merlin declared the wrong the witch lady had done to balin. "whatsoever cause he had against her, yet should he have done her no violence in my court," said the king, and bade sir lanceour of ireland ride after balin and bring him back again.

thus it came to pass that, as sir balin rode on his way, he heard the hoof-beats of a horse fast galloping, and a voice cried loudly to him: "stay, knight; for thou shalt stay, whether thou wilt or not." "fair knight," answered balin fiercely, "dost thou desire to fight with me?" "yea, truly," answered lanceour; "for that cause have i followed thee from camelot." "alas!" cried balin, "then i know thy quarrel. and yet, i dealt but justly by that vile woman, and it grieves me to offend my lord king arthur again." "have done, and make ready to fight," said lanceour insolently; for he was proud and arrogant, though a brave knight. so they rushed together, and, at the first encounter, sir lanceour's spear was shivered against the shield of the other, but balin's spear pierced shield and hauberk and lanceour fell dead to the earth.

then sir balin, sore grieved that he had caused the death of a knight of arthur's court, buried lanceour as well as he might, and continued sorrowfully on his journey in search of king ryons. presently, as he rode through a great forest, he espied a knight whom, by his arms, he knew at once for his brother, sir balan. great joy had they in their meeting, for balan had believed balin still to be in prison. so balin told balan all that had befallen him, and how he sought ryons to avenge arthur upon him for his insolent message, and hoped thereby to win his lord's favour again. "i will ride with thee, brother," said balan, "and help thee all i may." so the two went on their way till, presently, they met with an old man—merlin's self, though they knew him not, for he was disguised. "ah, knight," said merlin to balin, "swift to strike and swift to repent, beware, or thou shalt strike the most dolorous blow dealt by man; for thou shalt slay thine own brother." "if i believed thy words true," cried balin hotly, "i would slay myself to make thee a liar." "i know the past and i know the future," said merlin; "i know, too, the errand on which thou ridest, and i will help thee if thou wilt." "ah!" said balin, "that pleases me well." "hide you both in this covert," said merlin; "for presently there shall come riding down this path king ryons with sixty of his knights." with these words he vanished. so balin and balan did as he had bidden them, and when king ryons and his men entered the little path, they fell upon them with such fury that they slew more than forty knights, while the rest fled, and king ryons himself yielded him to them. so sir balan rode with king ryons to camelot that he might deliver him to king arthur; but balin went not with them, for he would see more adventures before he sought king arthur's presence again.

after many days' travel and many encounters, it befell that, one evening, balin drew near to a castle; and when he would have sought admittance, there stood by him an old man, and said: "balin, turn thee back, and it shall be better for thee," and so vanished. at that moment there was blown a blast on a horn, such as is sounded when the stag receives its death; and hearing it, balin's heart misgave him, and he cried: "that blast is blown for me, and i am the prize. but not yet am i dead!"

at that instant the castle gate was raised and there appeared many knights and ladies welcoming balin into the castle. so he entered, and presently they were all seated at supper. then the lady of the castle said to balin: "sir knight, to-morrow thou must have ado with a knight that keeps an island near-by; else mayest thou not pass that way." "that is an evil custom," answered balin; "but if i must, i must." so that night he rested, but with the dawn he arose, and was arming himself for battle when there came to him a knight and said: "sir, your shield is not good; i pray you, take mine which is larger and stouter." in an evil hour, balin suffered himself to be persuaded, and taking the stranger's shield, left; behind his own on which his arms were blazoned. then, entering a boat, he was conveyed to the island where the unknown knight held the ford.

no sooner was he landed, than there came riding to him a knight armed all in red armour, his horse, too, trapped all in red; and without word spoken, they charged upon each other, and each bore the other from the saddle. thus for a while they lay, stunned by the fall. the red knight was the first to rise, for balin, all wearied by his travels and many encounters, was sore shaken by the fall. then they fought together right fiercely, hacking away great pieces of armour, and dealing each other dreadful wounds. but when they paused to take breath, balin, looking up, saw the battlements of the castle filled with knights and ladies watching the struggle, and immediately, shamed that the conflict should have so long endured, he rushed again upon the red knight, aiming at him blows that might have felled a giant. so they fought together a long while; but at the last, the red knight drew back a little. then cried balin: "who art thou? for till now, never have i met my match." then said the red knight: "i am balan, brother to the noble knight, sir balin"; and with the word, he fell to the ground as one dead. "alas!" cried balin, "that i should have lived to see this day!" then, as well as he might, for his strength was almost spent, he crept on hands and knees to his brother's side and opened the vizor of his helmet, and when he saw his brother's face all ghastly, as it was, he cried: "o balan, i have slain thee, as thou hast also slain me! oh! woeful deed i never to be forgotten of men!" then balan, being somewhat recovered, told balin how he had been compelled by those at the castle to keep the ford against all comers, and might never depart; and balin told of the grievous chance by which he had taken another's shield.

so these two died, slain by each other's hands. in one tomb they were buried; and merlin, passing that way, inscribed thereon the full story of their deaths.